Monday, 14 January 2013

Brewery take-down in Norfolk.

Last week saw us over in deepest Norwichshire to observe (and get roped into) the take-down of our brewery at it's current site.

Things began well with a relaxed 180-mile drive via the M4 and M11 and thence onto windy roads but, once we'd arrived, it soon transpired that we weren't simplygoing to take a few photos and then head off into the sunset; no, we'd have to so some work and stop over in a knackered old caravan, too. Good job, then, that we'd been to Arbor in Bristol and Otley in Pontypridd to stock up on bottled beers for that night!

Typically, the weather had chosen that night to become freezing cold after weeks of mildness, so the electric fire was cranked up to the max inside the caravan... although the numerous 7%+ bottles we drank probably kept most of the cold away! We also got to experience a proper Russian restaurant locally which is a new one on me...

By the end of day two we'd got most of the vessels - and aren't they just superbly retro in a 1950's Bakelite kind of way? - loaded onto the flatbed lorry and away to Wales, with the rest of the steelwork and vessels due to follow this week.

Below are some photos to show what happened!

The brewery floor before we started work.

The Mash Tun is lifted off the brewing floor...

... and out of the door!

Then it was the turn of the FV's, not an easy task with millimetres of clearance between the crane and the roof!

With night drawing in, the last vessel was manoeuvred outside.

The next day, once our lorry had arrived (and blocked the lane!), it was time for the simple matter of loading the vessels onto the flatbed.

It wasn't us driving, by the way, and huge respect to David for not trashing any of them!

FV2 goes onto the lorry.

There was just time for a quick celebratory photo before the truck was off South Wales-bound with our precious cargo! I imagine the sight of these beauties will cause some confusion on the M4....

So, there we go... there should be more updates soon once the rest of the hardware arrives onsite in Pontyclun and we begin to reassemble it all... then clean it... then paint it... then, finally, brew on it!